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Hildibrand sports a black and white coatee with a rose on his lapel and a monocle. He likes to show off his muscular Highlander build with a flexing animation that is accompanied by cliché cartoon noises.

Hildibrand is a slapstick stooge whose idiocy is quickly realized by everyone he meets with the exception of his airheaded sidekick Nashu. In some cases he will offer his services when the case has already been solved. When investigating an open case, he shows a complete lack of competence, such as making his presence known when trying to shadow a suspect. For all of his buffoonery, Hildibrand's ideals are noble: he is a firm believer in the pursuit of justice, particularly in the service of those who have little other recourse or hope of finding it, and he became an "inspector" to help those less fortunate than himself, being the son of a wealthy Ul'dahn family that now sits on the Syndicate.

Hildibrand traveled around Eorzea's inns to solve any trouble he could find, meeting the adventurer who either solved the issue or helped him out. Some of Hildibrand's misadventures ended up getting him in trouble, such as getting a beating from Yellow Jackets while posing as a bandit. Prior to the Seventh Umbral Era, Hildibrand searched for the hero foretold to face the threat of Dalamud in Ul'dah where he came across an old farmer who was a warrior in his youth. Misunderstanding the prophecy of Urianger Augurelt while helping the farmer tend his pumpkin field with seeds and Bomb ash, Hildibrand believed he is the foretold hero as he decided to fight Dalamud.

Nashu found the late Nael Van Darnus's gun-halberd Bradamante that ended up in the farmer's possession after buying it from a merchant in Coerthas. When the inspector tried to use what was believed to be a weapon no longer functioning, Hildebrand was sent flying towards Dalamud after the resulting explosion caused by a spark from Bradamante igniting the Bomb ash.

Though presumed dead after falling back to Eorzea after being sent flying at Dalamud, in truth Hildibrand was in a death-like coma and was buried alive. Hildebrand emerged from his coffin with no memory of who he is and with the surrounding zombies befriended him on the notion that he is an undead. Zombibrand led his followers for a few years before being found by Nashu who nearly killed him with bombs to restore his memory. Donning a change of attire, Hildebrand accepts a challenge from a mysterious figure who is after the Collector's blade: deduced to be the Treaty-Blade.

Meeting the reporter Ellie and his arrogant rival, consulting inspector Briardien, Hildebrand goes to retrieve the Treaty-Blade and encounters not only Gilgamesh, the two fighting over ownership of a replica of Darnus's gunhalbred, but also his smithy father Godbert Manderville. The Treaty-Blade ends up in the figure's possession when he disguises himself as the client whose letter introduces him as thousand faced phantom thief.

Hildibrand disguising himself as Hildibella.

Hildibrand's search for the phantom thief leads him to the wedding of Arabella, the daughter of the wealthy merchant Guguremu. After nearly getting himself killed in an explosion caused by the inspector's inability to realize the danger he was in, Hildibrand learns that phantom thief's hand was wounded and would make it easy to find him hidden among the wedding guests. Posing as the bride, with everyone seeing through it, Hildibrand reveals the thief of many faces to be posing as the groom Vannes while scaring off a group of Mandragoras helping the thief. The thief escapes with Arella's necklace while leaving a note that he will get the victors' spoils.

This leads Hildibrand to Master Fygreis's Colleseum where first prize is the Mythril Cup, enlisting along with the adventurer, Avia, and Ultros. Despite Ultros rigging the match for Avia with help from Typhon, the tournament continues and the adventurer wins the Mythril Cup. With Gilgamesh appearing at the award ceremony, the thief returns and Hildibrand attempts to stop him with help from his father. Hildibrand is thrown out of the coliseum with the thief escaping with the real Ring of Inquiry, exposing the tournament's overseer Dour Meadow of planting a fake among the prizes. By the time Hildibrand returns, giving Avia peace of mind, he and the others attempt to determine who the thief is before finding the thief's final calling card, which reveals his goal is to gather the Four Treasures of Belah'dia and obtain the final item to unleash evil on Eorzea.

The final item the thief is going after is the Wiseman's Whisper located in a vault at the Manderville Gold Saucer. The item is gone and the thief is revealed to be Ellie with the aid of her sister Cecy acting under the guise of the thousand faced phantom thief. Though knocked out by an attack Cecy intended for Philice, Hildibrand reappears to help the adventurer with his assembled "Four Gentlemen of Light" to pacify Ellie's zombie minions. After the adventurer settles things with Gilgamesh, Hildibrand arrives with the Treaty Blade as Ellie invokes the prophecy and Hildibrand is sent flying with sword in hand.

Hildibrand's skyward travels result in him crashlanding in Coerthas Western Highlands and being stuck in the snow and ice. After being pulled out by his father, a Mammet is pulled out with him. Since the Mammet, which is dressed like a Black Mage has no memory, Hildibrand gives it the name "Gigi" and offers to help it find out where it came from.

Hildibrand was created for the quests required to unlock private Inn rooms, which were released March 8th, 2012 as part of patch 1.21. Due to positive fan reception, he became a recurring character for Inn-related quests, and in A Realm Reborn became the focus character of his own, independent series of sidequests. He is a parody of Inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther series, which his quest line in A Realm Reborn frequently refers to, such as his title cards at the end of each chapter using the same font as the Pink Panther title cards, having his own jazz theme, and tracking down a phantom thief.